1/72 Gloster F5/34 resin kit by Planet model

[SaparotRob]

If equipped with folding wings, would it be quick enough to deal with Axis bombers or fighters mid Med?

 

[nuuumannn]

do wonder if I'm creating a slug of a fighter by adding the weight of folding wings.

Possibly. You could try a Hercules instead of the Taurus for even greater power, but a greater weight penalty.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Possibly. You could try a Hercules instead of the Taurus for even greater power, but a greater weight penalty.

First prototype flies in 1936 but Hercules won't be in general service until 1941. But the Taurus will do the trick. Or we can have CC&F or CAC produce them, with the possibility of using Wright or P&W engines.

 

[nuuumannn]

First prototype flies in 1936 but Hercules won't be in general service until 1941.

Taurus as an interim until Hercules is avaiable I guess, but you should be able to get a Hercules at least a year sooner, the Stirling prototype first flew in May 1940 powered by Hercules'. It would be worth investigating. I don't like the chances of the Taurus being reliable enough. Perhaps the US option?

 

[Admiral Beez]

If equipped with folding wings, would it be quick enough to deal with Axis bombers or fighters mid Med?

If given the 1,050 hp Taurus and some improved streamlining, including a fully retractible tail wheel, moving the exhaust, and rotating the undercarriage to allow for a flush under wing surface I'd say we should be able to exceed 330 mph.

 

[nuuumannn]

If given the 1,050 hp Taurus and some improved streamlining, including a fully retractible tail wheel, moving the exhaust, and rotating the undercarriage to allow for a flush under wing surface I'd say we should be able to exceed 330 mph.

Quite a bit of a trade-off, but I'm looking forward to seeing your completed product.

 

[fastmongrel]

The Taurus is a bit of an oddity as far as I can tell it's problems in the Beaufort don't seem to have affected the Albacore apart from early teething trouble which seemed to be sorted quite quickly.

What exactly was the problem with the Beaufort installation. Was it too tightly cowled or did it not have a big enough oil cooler or the cooling gills didn't work. Overheating seems to have been the Beaufort's Taurus engine Achilles heel.

A cleaned up F5 with a reliable 1050hp engine should have been a good fighter for the early battles in the Med it at least can't have been less effective than the Fulmar which did very well. HMS Eagle with a mix of Stringbags and F5s would do nicely.